I’m a smartphone expert and this is the iPhone I’d buy – it might be the perfect camera phone for pro photographers

Apple's new iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max have stirred the smartphone world, capturing even the attention of die-hard Android fans. As an Android user, I find the camera phone from Apple particularly appealing. The variable aperture feature adds an enjoyable element to photography, allowing users to control the setting for different effects.

Despite the variable aperture adding some fun to the process, it may not significantly impact the overall image quality, but it can be entertaining to experiment with. The brighter f/1.48 aperture is a welcome improvement for low-light photography and video, as a larger aperture lets in more light, resulting in better performance in dark conditions.

Although a 4x telephoto camera sounds impressive, with the promise of 8x "optical quality" zoom, it's a good compromise between zoom levels, offering enough reach without being overwhelming. The improved battery life and powerful processor are features I'm excited to experience, particularly for photo and video editing tasks, which should now be faster than ever before.

Additionally, the Photographic Styles feature will allow me to add unique grain to my photos, giving them a distinctive character, much like the creative options available on the OM System PEN. Overall, Apple's new camera phone seems to have it all – a brighter aperture, variable controls, improved low-light performance, better zoom, and enhanced editing capabilities – making it a top contender for pro photographers looking to upgrade their smartphone photography.